


A Rose's Rarest Essence Lives in the Thorn

by Sivan325, SivanShemesh (Sivan325)



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Angst, Background Relationships, Bad Parent Maryse Lightwood, Bad Parent Robert Lightwood, First Kiss, First Time, Florist Alec Lightwood, Fluff, Found Family, It'll get better, Jace Wayland & Isabelle Lightwood are mean at the beginning, Lies, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Secrets, Simon Lewis & Alec Lightwood Friendship, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Tattoo Artist Magnus Bane, homeless alec lightwood
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-22 20:54:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30044595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sivan325/pseuds/Sivan325, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sivan325/pseuds/SivanShemesh
Summary: He loves flowers, even the mark on his arm and the one above his heart. Flowers are the symbols of love and he got two. Alec always wondered if his soulmate had something similar.The first part of the mark on his arm is like flying petals in different colors: red, orange, yellow, green, turquoise, indigo, violet and hot pink, the second part is just like a tattoo.The other mark above his heart has some letters with a flower next to it, these are “M.B.”.Alec loves his soulmate marks, he just hopes that he will find his soulmate, not knowing if he or she, but Alec hopes that it will be a man.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 22
Kudos: 68





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PhoenixStar73](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixStar73/gifts).



> Beta-ed by Hittiske
> 
> Disclaimer: The fabulous work belongs to Cassandra Clare, thank you for creating the Shadow world.
> 
> \--
> 
> Title Quote: 13th Century mystic poet: Rumi 
> 
> This fic, started as Malec secret santa that got out of hand, it grows to 7k, it's still wip, intend to finish it.
> 
> Read the tags, the story is still wip, but I hope to update it weekly.
> 
> \--
> 
> **PhoenixStar73** \- Happy Birthday, I hope that you'll like it, angsty and all.🎉🎂💖

He loves flowers, even the mark on his arm and the one above his heart. Flowers are the symbols of love and he got two. Alec always wondered if his soulmate had something similar.

The first part of the mark on his arm is like flying petals in different colors: red, orange, yellow, green, turquoise, indigo, violet and hot pink, the second part is just like a tattoo.

The other mark above his heart has some letters with a flower next to it, these are “M.B.”.

Alec loves his soulmate marks, he just hopes that he will find his soulmate, not knowing if he or she, but Alec hopes that it will be a man.

As much as he hid his sexuality from his parents in his past, he finally told them, and what he wanted to do with his life. This didn’t seem to match his parent’s expectations of him, he knew that they despised him, but he did not care. He already started to build his own life, by his own rules.

He even found an apartment and moved his stuff over there. Yes, he could see the faces of his siblings as they watched him leave, there was sadness in their eyes, but he welcomed them in his apartment and always told them to be true with their feelings, no point to hide from the rest of the world.

Alec Lightwood opened a flower shop which was right next to a tattoo parlour. He knew that it won’t be easy since the tattoo’ got lots of clients, he knew that he might not get more customers, but he will take one step at a time. No need to be jealous at the other shop.

Just like the petals on his arm, he will make sure that he will get every color of roses.

His siblings never came to his apartment, never even came to see him in his new shop, but he kept seeing them walking past his shop to the tattoo parlour.

Another day passed by, another dead silent and not one client entered or ordered flowers. He closed the shop and then he walked over to the tattoo shop to see what the fuss was about.

He stood by the door frame, he saw Jace chatting with a red-haired woman, and his sister, Izzy chatting with another man that he didn’t recognize, but he looked pretty, then their eyes met as they looked over each other.

His siblings look happy.

“Who are you?” the other man asked as he smiled at him.

“He is our big brother.” Izzy replied, she looked angry with her brother showing up in the tattoo shop.

“Alec, what are you doing here? Don’t you have a flower shop to take care of?” Jace mocked his brother and then walked back to talk with the red-haired woman.

He didn’t know why his siblings hated him so much as he turned around and left.

“Jace, that wasn’t necessary,” Magnus told him, not knowing what happened between the siblings. He could not erase the shocking look that showed on the other man, “Izzy, I thought that you and your big brother were in a good relationship?”

“I thought that we did share something, but he got up and left us with our parents, moving away, so Jace and I didn’t see any reason why we should stay and keep him company. Besides, he doesn’t have any clients in his flower shop, we made sure of that.” Izzy smiled at Magnus.

“What did you do? Why did you even do that?” Clary asked.

“We thought about giving him his own medicine, like he left us, so what goes around, comes around.” Jace replied, smiling as his sister.

“Jace, Izzy, I never thought that I will tell you this, and I think that Clary is with me about it, you need to go home and re-think of what you are doing,” Magnus told them and then he asked, “Do you really want to cut ties with your big brother?”

Jace and Izzy looked at each other, still smiling as they answered together, “Yes.”

“Well, it’s your own choice, remember that so you don’t come around and cry to us to help you to mend what you broke.” Clary told them.

“So, are you going to add us to your team?” Izzy asked Magnus.

“I don’t know, I need to speak with Clary about it, and we might tell you next week.” Magnus replied to her.

“We will come tomorrow, bye Magnus, Clary.” Jace thanked them as he and his sister left the shop.

Magnus sighed heavily as he left his shop with Clary and stared at the closed shop next to him. He passed by the shop several times, never started a conversation with the man, not even saw the owner once.

“Through the Petals of Your Love”, Magnus smiled at the name of the flower shop, he figured that the other man had something related to it.

Magnus walked back to his store and he asked Clary, “Did you notice the name of the flower shop?”

“Yeah, I thought that it was strange, but I noticed that in the store he is having different kinds of roses, something that I didn’t know even existed, maybe I should ask for delivery for each new designing line?” Clary asked him.

“That is an excellent idea, maybe we should.” Magnus replied, it might give him another chance to take a look on the other man.

Since that day when Alec came to the tattoo shop, he never stepped a foot in again. Alec remained in his shop, trying to make his own living, even if it meant to advertise himself, just to bring clients to the shop.

He was lucky when one customer stepped inside his shop, he offered his help and minutes later the client left with a bouquet.

Alec smiled, one client, it’s a beginning, maybe they could spread the word around. He would keep working until he could feel whole again.

Another day came to end as he closed his shop and walked quietly to his place that he called home. He already got used to being alone, knowing that his parents probably disowned him from their will and probably from their lives as well. As for his siblings, he had no idea why Jace and Izzy hated him so much as he lived his own life, even invited them but they kept rejecting him as their big brother.

Couple days later, the shop was empty, he noticed the date on the calendar and smiled. Probably everyone will remember or know about his shop, he will make sure that he has all kinds of special flowers and maybe some sweets too.

On the next day, Alec was shocked to see a line of eager clients waiting for him to open his shop. He figured that they might be waiting for the tattoo shop next to him. He sighed and opened the door, only to see other clients waiting patiently, some of them came together, smiling at him, waiting for him to offer the best choice of flowers to buy.

“Magnus, is there any reason why _his_ shop is getting more clients than we do?” Jace asked him.

“Well, did you check what date is today?” Magnus grinned at him as he looked from the door frame as the line of clients just got stretched and it did not seem to end anytime soon.

“No, what is the date today anyway?” Jace asked.

“It’s Valentine's day, Jace, no wonder that he got all our clients,” Izzy replied to him and added, “Maybe we should call them over here?”

“Isabelle, Jace, you need to stop it. If you two want to work here, it is going to be by my rules or Clary’s, do you understand?” Magnus asked them, he didn’t want to do more harm than they already did.

“Fine, but I still say that his quality of flowers are not so good.” Jace replied.

“Really, that’s not what you told me about the flower that I’ve got on my clothes.” Clary grinned at him.

“You bought from _him_? Why did you do that?” Jace asked.

“What about you Izzy, got something from your boyfriend?” Magnus asked her.

“Yeah, he gave me a bouquet with a chocolate box inside, the flowers are blossoming in our flat.” Izzy smiled and then she looked back at Magnus who only grinned at her.

“No… please tell me that Simon didn’t buy from _him_.” Izzy asked.

“You should ask him, btw, where is Sherman? Has he found work yet?” Magnus asked her.

“No, why? Would you want to ask him to work with you and Clary?” Izzy asked.

“No. Because the flower shop is going to need another set of hands, I think that maybe he should ask the owner for a job.” Magnus suggested to her.

“There’s no way that I would ask him to do that, he knows how much I hate my brother.” Izzy told him back.

“I think that’s up to him, not you, and job is a job, now if you still want to have a job here, you will behave. Do you understand?” Magnus asked her.

“Clary, show them so far what you did with your design so they will learn, while I’m going to make a visit. And yes, I do know that he is still busy, he hasn't left his shop since morning.” Magnus told them and left to breathe the breeze from the evening; Valentine's day moved so fast that he barely had time to see what he could do about this day.

He entered the flower shop, he saw the other man with his sleeves pulled up as he worked non-stop, offering help when he had been asked to and get orders ready.

Magnus caught some movement from him, and as he raised his hand, he thought that he saw several colors on his arm. He pulled his sleeve up and noticed that he had almost the same colors but instead of petals there were flowers, nine flowers without the petals, he only had their cores.

“Sir… is there anything I could help you with?” Alec asked the man.

“What, oh, sorry…” Magnus woke from his reverie as he noticed that the other man called for him.

When their eyes met and their hands were almost touching, Alec could feel something changing between them and for a moment he truly believed that he saw some of the petals glowing just like the other man’s arm next to him.

“What are the odds that I will find my soulmate on Valentine’s day?” Magnus asked, giving the other man a smile.

“Look, it’s glowing at least some of your petals and my flowers with the cores, I guess that it is a match,” Magnus told him and then asked, “Did this happen to you before?”

“No… never thought that I will find my soulmate.” Alec told him.

“I never figured what was standing behind the name of the shop, but now I’m getting it. You young man have a way with words,” Magnus told him as he introduced himself, “I’m Magnus Bane, I’m working with Clary Fairchild in the tattoo shop next to you.”

“You do… my soulmate. I have another mark, maybe another time I will show you.” Alec told him with a smile.

“I also have another mark, let me guess, is it above your heart?” Magnus asked, smiling at him.

“Yes, it is there.” Alec told him.

“Is Alec being short for Alexander?”

“Yes, it is.” Alec confirmed to him.

“Would you like to have dinner with me after you finish working?” Magnus asked him and then he added as he noticed his hesitation, “Don’t hurry, I’ll be in my shop, we are working on another design.”

“I would like that.” Alec smiled at him, maybe there is a hope for him.

“I would see you after work, and btw, are you looking for an employee?” Magnus asked as he remembered just before he left the shop.

“I mean if you want to make any shop deliveries or so on…” Magnus suggested.

“You are right, I never thought that I would have much work, but after today, I think that I will, if you know someone, can you tell him or her that they can come tomorrow?”

“Of course, I will take care of that, goodbye Alexander. I will see you when you are done working.” Magnus told him and then he left the shop, tempted to stay for a few moments to watch his soulmate working, but he left to his shop.

Magnus walked back towards his shop and noticed the curious looks that they gave him.

“What? Why are you looking at me like this?”

“Why are you smiling?” Clary asked him.

“For a good reason,” Magnus replied to her and then he faced Izzy and told her, “Tell Shannon that he could be at the flower shop first thing in the morning, I’ve got a job for him.”

“Why won’t you tell him yourself? I won’t tell him that, I prefer that he work in another shop than _his_ lousy flower shop.” Izzy told him back.

“Fine,” Magnus told her, and asked Clary, “Can you do that? I’m sure that Sheldon would be happy about that.”

“I will, can I go now?” Clary asked him.

“Of course, I’ll lock the store, go enjoy your Valentine’s day.” Magnus replied to her and then was pleased to see them walking out from the shop.

About two hours later, a tall man knocked on the door, “Magnus, are you still there?”

Alec heard footsteps as the door opened and he saw Magnus looking at him with a smile, “Shall we go?”

“Sure. I’m ready.” Alec replied to him.

Magnus looked at him, he could smell the fresh scent of the flowers, he had some rose petals stuck to his shirt and pants. Magnus ignored the sweat, he knew that the man in front of him worked harder just to make a living.

“Of course, just let me lock the shop, and we can go right away.” Magnus told him and reached for his keys.

When Magnus was done, the other looked nervously at him as he pulled something behind his back and handled him a single white rose and told him, “That’s for you.”

“Oh, you are so sweet.” Magnus told him and put the flower in his suit.

“I need to work on your color match for my suit next time.” Magnus told him with a smile.

“Next time?” Alec asked, trying to hold himself from feeling overwhelmed.

“Of course, you are my soulmate, I want to know more about you.” Magnus confirmed, the smile never leaving his face.

“I would like that, but first…” Alec told him as Magnus completed his sentence, “First date first.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for beta-reading [AstroAngel0097](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AstroAngel0097/pseuds/Min_YoonSook%20_LovesYK)

Magnus led the man over a quiet coffee shop, luckily the owner knew him as he already make the call after meeting his soulmate.

“Bloody Howls Coffee” coffee shop, the place was quiet, but what caught Alec’ eyes, was the name of the coffee shop.

“Love that, huh?”

“I’m not sure about that, but why ‘Bloody Howls Coffee’? What are they selling exactly?” Alec asked, trying to figure what stands behind the name.

“The best coffee and desserts.” Magnus replied.

“Then why they don’t have many costumers?” Alec asked with curious.

“Huh, about that, they don’t love much crowded and luckily for them and us, there are several coffee shops and the name of their place rather spook other to come.” Magnus explained.

“Okay, I trust your taste, so I give it a try.” Alec told him with a smile as Magnus helped with him the chair.

When they have got their coffee, Alec sips it and then he sips more, “This is so good, it is the best coffee I ever has, I think that I will take away coffee in every morning now.”

“See, I told you.” Magnus grinned at him, noticed how he devour the taste of the coffee.

Lily came to their table, “Who is this handsome man next to you, Magnus Bane?”

“I found out today, my soulmate, Alec Lightwood.” Magnus replied.

“It’s a great news, that fact that you found him in Valentine day it’s double the prize, for that you can choose any dessert that you would like to share, on the house of course.” Lily told them with a smile and left.

“That’s so sweet of her,” Alec told to his soulmate and added, “So, what are you recommending?”

“The chocolate fudge and vanilla ice cream.” Magnus answered right away.

When the dessert got to the table, they try to feed each other, but Magnus ended leaving some ice cream on his soulmate face.

“Here, let me clean it,” Magnus suggested as he closed the space between them when they left the table, his tongue cleaned the ice cream and then found the place toward his mouth.

The kiss was sweet blended with a bit of chocolate and vanilla, they didn’t notice that there was glow and above them was a blooming flower with a heart inside.

When the kiss was ended, Magnus left the money on the table before they left the café and they could hear the gasps from the people, but they chose to ignore it, until one of the owners from the café, hurried over them with a sample of soulmate cake, so that they could have some for later.

“There is a note.” Alec pointed while Magnus thanked Lily and Bat.

“Read it darling.” Magnus urged him while he took the sample so his soulmate can read the note while they walked.

“We really thought that we have saw it all, your soulmates marks are so beautiful when you kissed, and we hope to see you again in our coffee shop, Lily and Bat.” Alec read it and gave his soulmate the note.

“Where will we go now?” Magnus asked.

“You can show me where you live first, so I can walk you to your house.” Alec replied with a smile.

“Very well, I will show you where I’m living, and you are welcome to come to my home next time.” Magnus told him with a smile.

“I will do that, now off we go.” Alec urged his soulmate.

They have reached Magnus loft after thirty minutes of walking, it could have been sooner, but they stopped for a while to kiss each other, as they reached the loft, Alec kissed his soulmate for the last time before he said goodbye and left the area where Magnus is living.

Magnus kept the smile even after he entered his loft, he puts the cake in the fridge, set the note in the living room as he walked over the sofa and while petting his cat, he took his phone and dialed the number of his best friend, Catarina.

“Magnus, some of us still having a date night.” Catarina told him right away.

“I just had a date with my soulmate.” Magnus told her.

“About time, what do you say that me and Ragnor will come visit you tomorrow? Or are you planning another date with him or her?” Catarina asked.

“I want to see him again, just want to spread the news, I guess.” Magnus told her, still thinking of his soulmate.

“When you are planning for double date, let me know, I want to meet your soulmate, and next time don’t keep us long in the dark.” Catarina told him and hanged off the phone.

Magnus smiled as he brace the mark on his arm.

On the next day, Magnus stopped by the flowers shop, he noticed that the door is closed but the shop is open, he peaked through the door, only to notice Sherman talking with his soulmate, he knocked on the door.

“Am I interrupting?” Magnus asked.

“No, you are always welcome here, Magnus Bane, I’m just explaining to my hopefully new employee, Simon about the job, if he agrees to it.” Alec replied to him with a smile.

“I want to work here, I just need to know, I´m not familiar with the whole flowers and matching the colors.” Simon blurted.

“I’ll show you, don’t worry, you will catch up with things during work, don’t worry about it.” Alec told him.

“I’ll leave you to work, I guess that I will see you after work, Alexander.” Magnus told him.

“You bet.” Alec gave him a smile as he walked to leave the door open for the costumers to arrive.

Yesterday was his best day at work.

Magnus gave him a kiss before he left for his tattoo shop.

“Okay, I will guide you when the costumers arrive, of course, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask me.” Alec told him before the first costumer entered inside.

Magnus watched the shop from the door frame from his shop and then he mumbled to Clary, “I think that I have a new line of tattoos that I want us to try, flowers, I don’t think that we tried that.”

“Is that related to Alec?” Clary asked with a smile.

“Probably, and Simon took the job, I don’t think that Isabelle would like it, but I don’t care much about her feelings for her brother, he lives his own life without any member of his family.” Magnus told her.

“Talking about the devils.” Clary told him, she noticed that he is still looking at the flowers shop.

“Oh,” Magnus snapped from his trance looking at his soulmate shop and faced the siblings, “I hope that you will behave from now on, since I heard that your boyfriend got the job…”

Magnus noticed how angry the woman next to him, as the emotion was be seen in front of his eyes, “Your boyfriend already agrees for the job, so I think that you should let him work, and about you two, if you want a job here, you need to control yourself, you are still on probation time.”

“Fine, but I’m not done with this matter yet.” Izzy told him.

“So, what are we supposed to do today?” Jace asked.

“I think that I will start to work on design a new line and while you will help Clary with the costumers.” Magnus replied to them.

“Another line?” Izzy asked, the anger vanished from her face to excitement.

“Yes, I want something with flowers and hearts.” Magnus told her.

“I thought that you hate flowers.” Jace told him.

“I thought so too, because of this,” Magnus confessed as he shows them the mark on his arm, and added, “But recently I found that this is soulmate mark, and I found my soulmate recently, so I want to make a new line.”

“I thought that they are no longer soulmates, I mean it’s rare to see any soulmates.” Clary said, looking innocently to Jace and Izzy.

“Me and Clary do not have any soulmate mark.” Jace said.

“I don’t have a soulmate mark with Simon, I think that you are lucky to even have one.” Izzy told him.

“I’m lucky to have one.” Magnus said as he sat and start to design the new line.

The first flower that Magnus draw was a pink rose with petals shape like a heart, the second flower that he draw was a white rose with a blank name next to it with a red heart circling it.

Magnus continues drawing, not even noticing the evening was set outside, Clary knocked on the door and came inside his designing room to check what he did.

“You did all that?” Clary asked, with amazement in her eyes as she checked page after page.

“I guess that your soulmate really inspire you, I never saw you like this, and you are smiling, it’s good to see you smiling, my friend.” Clary told him.

“I’m happy.” Magnus told her.

“Btw, Simon already finished his first day at job and the siblings left as soon as they saw Alec, they didn’t acknowledge him, I know that you said that it was their choice, but why are they not seeing that they are hurting their brother?” Clary asked him.

“Wait, Alec is here?” Magnus asked her.

“Yes, he is waiting outside the shop.” Clary replied to him.

“Wait a minute, is he your soulmate? It that why you didn’t say anything in front of the siblings?” Clary asked.

“Yes, he is, and I would like that _you_ won’t tell them, is bad enough that they are acting this way to him, and he doesn’t need more emotional words from that, he looks lonely and I want to fix it.” Magnus asked from her.

“I can do that, besides, he looks handsome, of course, if he wasn’t your soulmate, I think that I will have a chance with him.” Clary teased him.

“No, you don’t have a chance with him at all, besides, he is gay, therefore, he is mine!” Magnus told her with a triumph smile.

“Fine, just go to him, don’t keep him waiting, go!” Clary urged him.


End file.
